Boys Basketball

Miles Reynolds helps Young hold off Morgan Park

Last year's finalists butted heads two rounds earlier in 2014, and Miles Reynolds bore the brunt of it.

Reynolds left the floor a bloody mess in the second quarter Sunday, returned after halftime with a bandage covering most of his forehead and willed the defending champion into the semifinals.

The St. Louis-bound guard scored 11 of his game-high 26 points in the third quarter and No. 3 Young survived a game effort from No. 11 Morgan Park to record a 72-62 victory in a Public League tournament quarterfinal at Chicago State.

All-American center Jahlil Okafor had 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots, and Georgetown recruit Paul White fought through a leg injury to score eight points for the Dolphins, who will take on Red West rival Orr in a semifinal Wednesday night.

"They said I needed stitches, but I didn't want to do it at halftime," Reynolds said. "I wanted to finish the game. I feel it bleeding right now. The sooner I can get to the hospital, the better. I didn't want this to be my last CPS playoff game. I felt kind of like Tyler Hansbrough, kind of psycho, so it was cool."

The 10-point margin did not reflect how well Morgan Park (16-6) played.

Lamont Walker matched the force of Reynolds' will, scoring 12 of his 20 in the third quarter to offset Reynolds' explosion and keeping the Mustangs close until the final minute.

Young (20-5) led 63-60 with 1 minute, 36 seconds remaining before Reynolds and White put Morgan Park away from the line.

Reynolds made his first nine free throws and 14 of 17 overall.

"I said all year for anybody interested in listening, Miles is the heart and soul of our team," Young coach Tyrone Slaughter said. "He might not be our most valuable player, but as he goes, so do we. He shouldn't have been playing in the second half, but he told us he's not leaving until we got the win.

"He is going to get stitches, and I guarantee you he will be out there Wednesday."